Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins, shown in a game against Michigan State, is projected as a first-round NFL draft pick in 2013. He and senior John Simon are the heart and soul of the OSU defense.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Big-time players: None

Left tackle Jack Mewhort could be very good anywhere on the line, but now he’s replacing a second-round NFL draft pick and three-year starter in Mike Adams, and the Buckeyes could take a step back there. The Buckeyes also lost long-time starters Mike Brewster and J.B. Shugarts and won’t make up for that experience. New center Corey Linsley had done a 180 as a player, but he’s never started before. Guards Andrew Norwell and Marcus Hall should be solid, but right tackle, with converted tight end Reid Fragel and true freshman Taylor Decker, is where a couple mistakes a game just from inexperience could be an issue. And there’s not much depth. This isn’t a place where the Buckeyes can absorb many injuries.

TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS

Big-time players: Zach Boren

In this offense, the tight ends and fullbacks are basically the same thing, often in more of an H-back position where they’ll have to run and block. My contention since about the middle of his sophomore season was that Boren, now a senior captain, did his job as well as anyone on the roster. But that job — a lead blocking fullback — basically doesn’t exist anymore. He has slimmed down and may get a few carries, but be skeptical about that. He is a good pass-catcher out of the backfield. But it’s a bit of a shame that Boren’s role may be reduced. With Jake Stoneburner moving to receiver and Reid Fragel to tackle, youngsters Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman will share the tight end role with lots of potential and little experience.

RECEIVERS

Big-time players: None

Corey Brown has emerged as the No. 1 receiver according to Urban Meyer, and he seems a good fit for this offense. He’s had some issues catching the ball, but if he can grab some quick throws or get the ball on a few tosses and handoffs, he could be dangerous in the open field. Senior Jake Stoneburner is more of a receiver than a tight end now and has always been an intriguing player, but he had just six catches in his last 10 games last year as the passing game struggled mightily. More proof is needed. Sophomore Devin Smith and freshman Michael Thomas also could make big strides. Though this group seems better than it was, there was a reason Meyer spent most of the spring criticizing it.

RUNNING BACKS

Big-time players: None

Jordan Hall should be back by Week 3 after a foot injury. Carlos Hyde is the starter for now, and the two should see time together on the field eventually as well. For a guy with only 1,016 yards from scrimmage in three years, an average of 41 yards per game, Hall has generated a lot of hype for his senior season. Like Brown, he does seem to fit the system, catching and running it, but he has to show it. And though Hyde averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season, he vanished in the final month as the Buckeyes relied on Dan Herron. He’s another guy the coaches have praised for getting more serious about the game. But typically, Ohio State enters a season with more certainty at this position than they have right now.

QUARTERBACKS

Big-time players: Braxton Miller

Urban Meyer once had some success with a sophomore quarterback: Tim Tebow won the Heisman in 2007. Miller threw for 1,159 yards and ran for 715 last season as a freshman. Tebow threw for 3,286 and ran for 895 as a sophomore, with 32 touchdowns in the air and 23 on the ground. Could Miller throw for 3,000 and run for 1,000 in 12 games? Yes, he could, if he has receivers who can get open and avoid drops. And though backup Kenny Guiton has earned a lot of praise from Meyer, it’s still fair to say that if Miller gets hurt, the Buckeyes might be in trouble.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Big-time players: John Simon, Johnathan Hankins

The strongest position on the team features two of the best players in the conference. Simon is a senior captain, one of the hardest workers in OSU history and a guy who never stops. He had seven sacks last season and needs to reach double-digits for the defense to be as good as people think it may be. Hankins, projected as a first-round NFL pick if he makes this junior season his last, is a tough matchup for any offensive lineman as a big guy with quick feet who slides along the line and finds the ball. Throw in sophomore Michael Bennett, who could be a rising star, and solid senior Garrett Goebel, and the starters are set. True freshmen Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington lead a backup group that has a ton of upside. If the Buckeyes get contributions from fifth-year senior Nathan Williams, whose knee injury last year changed the season for the defense, offenses could really be in trouble.

LINEBACKERS

Big-time players: None

Ryan Shazier nearly got the nod as a big-time player, and he would have earned it from a lot of other people. Urban Meyer has said he’s a future All-Big Ten player, he’s just not sure when it will happen. But remember that most of last season was spent wondering why Shazier wasn’t playing more. He started just twice, but did average 11 tackles in the last three games. He could end any doubts about his big-time status in the first quarter Saturday. Or it could take a bit. Senior Etienne Sabino will play a lot and could be ready to finally fulfill his potential. But the Buckeyes really need former five-star recruit Curtis Grant to show he’s ready to hold his own at the MLB spot in the base defense. All the depth behind them is young, with four freshmen in Conner Crowell, David Perkins, Camren Williams and Joshua Perry the backups. There’s a lot of promise among the young backers, but there also could be problems if they’re forced to play early.

SECONDARY

Big-time players: C.J. Barnett

Barnett, a junior who has always seemed mature beyond his years, may be the most underrated player on the team. He led the team in tackles last season with 75 and is the kind of guy you want as the last line of your defense — smart and able to pack a wallop. Fellow junior Christian Bryant has just as much talent but made a few too many mistakes last season. Eliminate those and he’s an All-Big Ten prospect. At corner, sophomore Bradley Roby stormed onto the scene as a freshman and isn’t far from big-time status himself, while senior Travis Howard admitted he wasn’t at his best last season. But like Sabino, his former high school teammate in Florida, the fifth-year senior also may be ready to play to his potential in his last season. Corey Brown could play the nickel position when the Buckeyes go to five defensive backs; and third cornerback Doran Grant, a sophomore, has proven he’s ready to play right now if needed.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Big-time players: None

Both specialists, senior punter Ben Buchanan and junior kicker Drew Basil, are big-time candidates and at the very least more than solid. Buchanan averaged 41.3 yards per punt last season, third in the Big Ten, and has shown good control when trying to nestle punts inside the 20. Basil made 16 of his 19 field goals, which also ranked third in the conference. But the real big-time plays on special teams, a unit led by Meyer, may come on punt block. It’s an emphasis for Meyer, and the players call that punt block unit “The Freak Show,” because they are the best athletes on the team. Keep an eye on corners Bradley Roby and Travis Howard coming off the edge. If they get their hands on a few punts, it will be obvious how big-time those plays are.

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